Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game board with slideable markers is arranged so that the markers may slide to make the game moves without falling off the board. The markers are differentiated into five sets, four including a playing set for each of four players. A player can only win by achieving his game objective with his particular playing set. The fifth set, a passive set, which may include a corner piece which may not be moved, has pieces which affect the play of each player, but the markers cannot in themselves win for any player. The game is played primarily by sliding the markers individually or in file, including the passive markers, in an available direction. A luck element may be provided when the number of moves may be determined by chance, such as by the throw of dice. A circumferential barrier holds the markers on the board and the markers themselves are constructed to slide by each other.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,747,932 Grissino July 24, 1973 [54]BOARD GAME APPARATUS Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe [76] Inventor:Vincent Grissino, 83-21 141st St., Att0mey Al-thur Auslander KewGardens, N.Y. [57] ABSTRACT -[22] Med: 1971 A game board with slideablemarkers is arranged so 21 L N 201,300 that the markers may slide to makethe game moves without falling off the board. The markers are differenata tiated into five sets, four including a playing set for Related pp kData each of four players. A player can only win by achieving his gameobjective with his particular playing set. [63] continuation'in'part of824,523 May The fifth set, a passive set, which may include a corner1969* Abandonedpiece which may not be moved, has pieces which affect 3 Ithe play of each player, but the markers cannot in 273/13l 273/131273/131 themselves win for any player. The game is played pri- 273/134273/134 G marily by sliding the markers individually or in file, in-[51] lllt. Cl. A63 3/00 cluding the p i markers, in an availabledirection. [58] Field of Search 273/131, 132, 134 A luck element y beprovided h h number f moves may be determined by chance, such as by theReferences and throw of dice. A circumferential barrier holds the UNITEDSTATES PATEN S markers on the board and the markers themselves are2,437,819 3/1948 l-leuser 273/131 B c st e to slide y each other-2,536,380 1/1951' Lucassen.. 273/131 B 2,982,551 5/1961 Garnett 273/131BA 12 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENTED JUL24|Q73 3 747. 932

SHEET 3 [IF 3 Fi 9 INVENTOR.

g 9 Vincent Grissino gu W F I93 6 ATTORNEY.

BOARD GAME APPARATUS The present application is a continuation-in-partof application Ser. No. 824,523, filed May 14, 1969, now abandoned.

Thepresent invention relates to board games and i particular to boardgames where markers are moveable on a game board without danger offalling off the board in game play.

In the past, many varieties of board games have been provided whereskill, luck or both have determined the game outcome. Puzzles haveoftentimes included boards and moveable parts interlocked or somehowheld within a puzzle board and for their solution have depended upon theselective movement of the interrelated parts to achieve the desiredpuzzle solution.

Games such as anagrams have provided movement means, retaining means andarrangement means to achieve their end result.

According to the present invention, a board game is provided includingelements of chance and skill wherein game markers held within theperiphery of the game board may be moved in a game contest between two,three or four players, the markers being slid one or more at a time inany available direction horizontally until the game objective shall havebeen achieved.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic ofthe invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and themanner in which it may be carried out may be further understood byreference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game of the present invention indicating amove in progress.

FIG. 2 is a partial view of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial front isometric detail of the game of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial front isometric of another embodiment of the game ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5a is an isometric view of a marker of the game of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5b is the obverse side of FIG. 5a.

FIG. 5c is an alternative obverse side of FIG. 5a.

FIG. 6 is a pair of dice exemplary of one arbitrary form of move numberdetermining devices.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of the game of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 is a detail of a variant method of playing'the game as embodiedin FIGS. 1 4.

FIG. 9 is another detail of a variant method of playing the game asembodied in FIGS. 1 4.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like referencenumbers denote like parts in the various figures.

The game 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 4, and as exemplified in the drawings,comprises eight rows 2 of squares 3 or playing stations on the gameboard 4 and five differentiated marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Theindividual markers 10 are about the size of the board squares 3, thoughin fact the squares 3 need not be marked on the board 4, since the spacefilled by the markers themselves defines the playing space.

The board 4 is provided with a peripheral barrier 11. The markers 10 arepreferably of wood or plastic with rounded corners 12 so that, insliding, the markers 10 bypass each other rather than hitch as they aremoved.

The sides 14 of the markers 10 also are preferably straight and smoothto promote sliding.

The game board corners 13 are passive insofar as playing the game isconcerned. As shown in FIG. I, the corner 13 may be solid and integralto the board. In

, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the corners are shown as markers 17 which are notmoved in the play of the game. In FIG. 4 the corner is shown as acut-out section 15 of the game board 4.

In play, the game is good for either two, three or four players. Eachplayer has a distinctive unit marker set 5, 6, 7, 8, as shown, of 12pieces. The marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8 are arranged in six at the peripheralrow 2, four in the next row and two in the front row. The four corners13, as shown in FIG. 1, are not moved, though they are equivalent to themarkers 9. The marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8 areas are separated by the markerset 9 blocks. One object of the game is to get any six of a playersmarker set 5, 6, 7, 8 pieces into the outside row 16 opposite theplayers side of the board.

The number of moves of each play may be determined by a roll of the dice18. A move is in any linear non-diagonal direction. A player can moveany number of aligned markers 10 selected, by pushing the selected groupof markers 10 toward an open space. Where appropriate, consecutive movesmay be made along available paths according to the number ofmoves-selected for play. The selection may be by a roll of the dice 18.Thus, one to seven markers 10 may be moved in any one move. As shown inFIG. 1, the player may make any kind of a move in a linear non-diagonaldirection toward an open space and move any selected number of markers10.

Another optional play may be taking the man. A player may manage tosurround any one of another players markers 10 on all four sides, andthen take this piece. Taking is performed by leavingthe marker 10 on itssquare 3 on the game board 4, but turning it to its obverse side so thatit is differentiated from the other markersets 5, 6, 7, 8. It may beidentical on the obverse side to the differentiation used to identifymarker set 9. The eliminated marker remains on the board and is used inplay just as the markers 10 had been, prior to the taking of theparticular piece.

Play continues until there is a final winner, either by elimination orby thewinning players markers 10 filling the row opposite.

Once any one of the players markers set 5, 6, 7, 8 marker 10 has beenplaced in the diametrically opposing outer row, the marker 10 cannotbemoved out except by the plaYer whose markers 10 is in such outer row 16.The marker 10, though, may be moved sideways within the row, but cannotbe taken out, as aforementioned.

At the first move, the player who begins theplay has the option ofmoving any one of thethree'markers 10 of the set 9 that are in thecenter of the board 4. This is not a move of the game. This opening moveis not a sliding move, but a way of selecting the options for the Ifirst of the sliding moves that the first player will take by providinga vacant space along the row selected for the first movement.

A less exciting version of the game may be played without the chanceselectlon of a consecutive number of moves to be made by each player.

The selection of the number of moves which may be made by each playerduring his-turn, where a plurality of moves is used as the game mode,may be made by a spinner (not shown) or by any normal arbitrary numberselecting means.

A sixty-four square 3 board 4 has been exemplified as a preferredembodiment, as shown in FIGS. l- 4, especially because of its similarityto the chess or checker board. Within reason, even numbers of rows maybe adapted to the game pattern and the marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8 recede innumbers upward, starting with two less markers than the number ofsquares 3 in the outer row 16, and decreasing by two markers 10 in eachrow until the top row has only two markers 10. In FIGS. 1 4, the fifthmarker set 9 fills the remaining spaces between the marker sets 5, 6, 7,8.

Variations of game forms may be tried when the marker 10 sets 5, 6, 7, 8are given different markings, such as those of playing cards, as shownin FIG. c.

A further variant way of playing the game, ae embodied in FIGS. 1 4, isto start with a game pattern as partly shown in FIG. 8. In thisvariation, the passive set of markers 9 may be either increased innumber, or the reverse sides of the markers in marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8have the same color differentiation as the markers 10 of marker set 9.Thus the extra markers 9 are available. A faster game as partially shownin FIG. 8 can be played, having six markers 10 of the sets 5, 6, 7, 8 inthe outer rows as can be seen in FIGS. 1 4 and four markers 10 of thesets 5, 6, 7, 8 in the innermost row.

The game 1 of the present invention can be played as shown in FIGS. 1 4by one to four players. In FIG. 9, a variant of the game 1 is shownwhere the game 1 is set up particularly for playing by two players. InFIG. 9, the marker set 9 is increased to fill squares 3 of the unusedmarker sets 8, 6. Again this may be accomplished by having the obversesides of the marker sets 5, 6, 7, 8 have the same color differentiationas the markers 10 of marker set 9.

The game board 20, as shown in FIG. 7, is a variant embodiment of thegame board 4 having marker sets 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a. The outermost rowhas only five squares 3 and each players marker set 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a hassucceeding rows of markers 10, symmetrically reduced by two. Marker sets5a, 6a, 7a, 8a are spaced apart by markers 10 from the marker set 9a.The central portion of the board is either marked by a vacant square 3or may have a removable barrier of some sort placed there to keep themarkers 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a from sliding when not in use.

The game board 20 is inset to hold the markers 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a. As aconvenience, the border 21 of the game board 20 may have insets 22 tohold such articles as dice l8.

In playing, using the game board 20, the same optional moves areavailable as with the game 1, only the time of play is shortened by theuse of fewer pieces.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms ofdescription; it is recognized, though, that various modifications arepossible.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail,what is claimed is:

l. A game including a game board, said game board having no more thaneight rows of eight substantially square playing stations, no more thansix playing stations symmetrically positioned on each periphery of saidboard, four playing unit marker sets, each said marker beingsubstantially square and substantially the same size as said game boardstations, each set including no more than 12 markers having uniformidentification means on at least one horizontal surface thereof, a fifthset of markers having uniform identification means on at least onehorizontal surface thereof, said fifth set of markers in an amountsufficient to space apart said four sets of markers when the markers ofsaid fifth set are in two diagonals of single markers through the centerof said board,-said fifth set of markers filling all but one centralstation on the board, each of said five set identification meansdifferentiated from the others, and said game board including aperipheral barrier adapted to retain said markers on said game boardduring normal horizontal sliding movement.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein the other horizontal surface of eachmarker is blank.

3. The game of claim 1 wherein the other horizontal surface of themarkers of each of said first four marker sets bears one of a set ofdifferentiating playing card identifications.

4. The game of claim 1 including chance means to select a singlenumerical indicia at a time.

5. The game of claim 4 wherein said chance means include at least onedie.

6. The game of claim 1 wherein each said marker has rounded corners.

7. The game of claim 6 wherein each said marker has straight sides.

8. A game including a game board, said game board having no more thaneight and no less than seven rows, of substantially square stations andouter rows of said game board having no more than six and no less thanfive stations, four playing unit sets, said playing unit sets eachincluding markers, each said marker being substantially square andsubstantially the same size as said game board stations, the markers ofeach set having uniform identification means on at least one horizontalsurface thereof, said four sets of markers each including sufficientmarkers to fill the playing stations in a symmetrical arrangement havingsuccessive rows diminished by two and having a top row of at least onemarker, a fifth set of markers having uniform identification means, atleast on one horizontal surface thereof, the number of said fifth set ofmarkers sufficient to fill spaces between said four-playing sets leavingat least one vacant space, each of said five marker sets having adifferent identification means, and said game board including aperipheral barrier adapted to retain said markers on said game boardduring normal movement.

9. The game of claim 8 wherein the outer row of each playing setconsists of five markers.

10. The game of claim'9 wherein the upper row of said playing setsconsists of one marker.

11. The game of claim 1 wherein said board includes at least one insetreceptacle along its edge.

12. The game of claim 1 wherein the other horizontal surface of eachmarker of said four playing sets bears the identification of said fifthset of markers.

1. A game including a game board, said game board having no more thaneight rows of eight substantially square playing stations, no more thansix playing stations symmetrically positioned on each periphery of saidboard, four playing unit marker sets, each said marker beingsubstantially square and substantially the same size as said game boardstations, each set including no more than 12 markers having uniformidentification means on at least one horizontal surface thereof, a fifthset of markers having uniform identification means on at least onehorizontal surface thereof, said fifth set of markers in an amountsufficient to space apart said four sets of markers when the markers ofsaid fifth set are in two diagonals of single markers through the centerof said boaRd, said fifth set of markers filling all but one centralstation on the board, each of said five set identification meansdifferentiated from the others, and said game board including aperipheral barrier adapted to retain said markers on said game boardduring normal horizontal sliding movement.
 2. The game of claim 1wherein the other horizontal surface of each marker is blank.
 3. Thegame of claim 1 wherein the other horizontal surface of the markers ofeach of said first four marker sets bears one of a set ofdifferentiating playing card identifications.
 4. The game of claim 1including chance means to select a single numerical indicia at a time.5. The game of claim 4 wherein said chance means include at least onedie.
 6. The game of claim 1 wherein each said marker has roundedcorners.
 7. The game of claim 6 wherein each said marker has straightsides.
 8. A game including a game board, said game board having no morethan eight and no less than seven rows, of substantially square stationsand outer rows of said game board having no more than six and no lessthan five stations, four playing unit sets, said playing unit sets eachincluding markers, each said marker being substantially square andsubstantially the same size as said game board stations, the markers ofeach set having uniform identification means on at least one horizontalsurface thereof, said four sets of markers each including sufficientmarkers to fill the playing stations in a symmetrical arrangement havingsuccessive rows diminished by two and having a top row of at least onemarker, a fifth set of markers having uniform identification means, atleast on one horizontal surface thereof, the number of said fifth set ofmarkers sufficient to fill spaces between said four playing sets leavingat least one vacant space, each of said five marker sets having adifferent identification means, and said game board including aperipheral barrier adapted to retain said markers on said game boardduring normal movement.
 9. The game of claim 8 wherein the outer row ofeach playing set consists of five markers.
 10. The game of claim 9wherein the upper row of said playing sets consists of one marker. 11.The game of claim 1 wherein said board includes at least one insetreceptacle along its edge.
 12. The game of claim 1 wherein the otherhorizontal surface of each marker of said four playing sets bears theidentification of said fifth set of markers.